Summary

Langdon continues, telling Kohler that the Illuminati symbol was created by an anonymous sixteenth century artist and that it was kept secret. Kohler asks if the symbol's appearance means that the Illuminati is resurfacing, but Langdon thinks that this is unlikely. He tells Kohler that when the Illuminati fled Rome, they were taken in by the Freemasons. For a time, the Illuminati used the Masons as a front, gradually taking over the positions of power. There has been no sign of the Illuminati for over a century, and Langdon says that most scholars think that it is defunct. Langdon suggests that another organization has the Illuminati brand and is using it for its own purposes. He also says that the Illuminati wielded their influence in politics and finances, not through terrorist attacks. As they held men of science in high regard, it would be unlikely that they...